Duplicity
by emication
Summary: Sequel to Digital Bath. Duo's alive and well mankind is living on Earth once again, but some people want to stay in the system. What they'll do to get their way endangers the Specialists and mankind itself.
1. Part 1

+Title: Duplicity - Part 1  
+Author: Vinyl Koneko (Emily), roguegirl@att.net  
+Rating: R  
+Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 13x11, 6x9  
+Warnings: AU, yaoi, cyberpunk, citrus-y goodness  
+Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing at all. If you do own it, please don't sue because I'm not even in college yet and already I'm poor.  
+Notes: *Emphasis*, [flashback], // lyrics //. This fic is the sequel to my story "Digital Bath", so definitely read that before jumping into this one. This part starts off immediately in the end of the prequel's epilogue. Even though the previous story was called "Digital Bath", the song by The Deftones is actually used in this part. ^_^ And just to let you know, this is probably the most bizarre citrus-y scene you'll have ever read. I kept leaving and coming back to add pieces, so it might be jumbled and such, but I don't care. I suck at writing these.  
  
*~**~*  
  
Hilde and Relena left silently, smiling at us the whole time. Heero's attention was drawn back to me. "Step out so I can see you." I hesitated but moved forward into the room. I could feel myself start to blush under his scrutiny. "Duo..." I smiled at him, a wave of relief and joy washing over me. "How do I know this is really happening?"  
  
I kept walking closer until we stood a mere arm's length away from each other. "Well, they say that seeing is believing." I started to unbutton my shirt, slowly exposing the actual flesh hidden beneath. "But if you're still a little skeptical..." I turned, showing Heero my back as I lowered the shirt to my midsection. I had looked earlier. I knew he was seeing what I wanted him to see. The complete lack of the barcode.  
  
He reached out tentatively, brushing his fingers over my shoulder blade. "Remind me," Heero breathed, moving closer to embrace me from behind. "Remind me to find a way to thank the girls sometime in the near future."  
  
// You move like I want to.  
To see like your eyes do. //  
  
I turned in his embrace; Heero grabbed my hands in my own, stepping back a little to take me all in once again. I looked exactly the same as I did before, but now I was made out of blood, flesh, and bone, not binary script and pixels. I felt different, too; I actually felt human. Heero grabbed my hair, slowly unraveling it until the length of it was cascading down my back, free from the confining braid. My eyes were focused on Heero; I hope he was feeling what I felt: unadulterated love, not sorrow or fear.  
  
He smiled, most likely convinced that I wasn't a figment of his imagination. "It looks like you're going to have to watch me grow old after all."  
  
"Yeah, well it looks like I'm going with you, lover," I winked at him. He was caught off guard when I threw myself in the air at his arms, forcing him to catch me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, grasping at the sides of Heero's face to bring his gaze up to my own. "Love you."  
  
// We are downstairs where no one  
can see new life breakaway. //  
  
"I love you, too." I bent down, capturing my mouth in his own. I felt truly happy; it was easy for me to pretend before because of my acceptance of my fate. I hadn't cared if I were to die before because I didn't have Heero, but now I couldn't begin to imagine how I once thought the way I did. Heero moved over to the bed, lowering us down to the mattress without breaking the kiss. I could feel the corners of his mouth quirk up into a smile, and I couldn't help but want to know why.  
  
I broke, panting. "What are you smiling about?"  
  
"Nothing," I could tell he was lying, but I stopped caring when I saw him lowering his head to my body, planting kisses on every bit of my skin.  
  
// Tonight I feel like more.  
Tonight I... //  
  
I couldn't help but moan at the contact. I had felt the sensations before, the first time we joined together in our frantic desire to explore each other. With this flesh and blood body, though, the feelings were multiplied a hundred times over. I understood the hunger in Heero's eyes. I had never felt anything such as this before. I wanted to commit every second of it to memory.  
  
I let out a strangled cry, causing Heero to look up from his ministrations. The intensity in his eyes caused a shiver to run down my spine, exciting me all over again. "What do you want?" he asked, voice deep and raw.  
  
I couldn't help but sense a bit of déjà vu with his words. It was like we were playing the same games over and over again. "You," I smiled, hoping that it was enough of an answer. Thoughts were flying so quickly through my head that is was a wonder I could form coherent words at all. "I only want you."  
  
// You make the water warm.  
You taste foreign. //  
  
Heero stood agonizingly slowly, crossing his room to the nightstand where he pulled a tube out of the top drawer. I understood the action instantly. I knew the mechanics of sex between two males, but I had never actually experienced it beyond my previous encounter with Heero. I think he just brought out the creature of need that hid within me, clawing at the bars to be let out.  
  
"Do you trust me?" Heero asked, and I only half-registered the question. I was too busy noticing how he was way overdressed. I nodded frantically when I realized he actually expected a response. He walked back to the bed, and once Heero returned to within arms' reach, I took over the task of relinquishing Heero of his clothes. I pressed my mouth against his, tasting him like it was the only reason I was still alive. The scary thing is, though, Heero was just that.  
  
"I trust you," I jabbered as we parted to breathe. "I'd do anything for you."  
  
// And I know you can see the cord breakaway   
'cause tonight I feel like more. //  
  
"If you don't want to-"  
  
"No! I do! Please, Heero, I need you so badly..." If he denied me the contact I needed any longer I think I would have imploded. I'm not sure why, but I became emotional all of a sudden, almost on the verge of tears.  
  
I felt Heero's hands cupping the side of my face. God, he's so beautiful! "I love you, Duo. I could never deny you anything." We were lying back on the mattress, his torso pressed flat against mine as he worked on removing our remaining clothing. The chill of the cool air brushing over my freed erection drew a gasp from my lips which Heero bent forward to capture with his own.  
  
// Tonight I feel like more.  
I feel like more tonight. //  
  
I never thought I would be able to make love with anybody in the span of my lifetime. I would have blamed the entire circumstance on my entirely evil subconscious if it weren't for the fact that when I was still a program I didn't *have* a subconscious. Dreams were just the extra programming information that I picked up during the day being fragmented and stored elsewhere. At least that's what the doctors told me.  
  
Strong hands on my manhood drew me out of my reverie, jolting me back to the present. My body lurched forward, seeking the heat that the tunnel of Heero's hand provided, but no matter what I did, it didn't feel like enough.  
  
Heero moved his hand away, and my own shot out to catch his wrist, trying to keep it in place in a search for release, but he pulled out of my grip, and amused glint deep in his eyes.  
  
// You breathed then you stopped.  
I breathed then dried you off. //  
  
"Heero..." I groaned, well aware of the pleading inflection in my voice. I watched suddenly enraptured as he uncapped the tube, lubricating his fingers with the cool gel. I breathed in sharply as I felt his fingers prodding, teasing at my entrance. I could feel them slip inside, brushing against my inner walls in an effort to relax me, to prepare me for what was to come. I knew I needed to relax if I didn't want to be in a great deal of pain. I exhaled slowly, smiling down at Heero through heavy eyes.  
  
"You ready?" He asked, and I nodded quickly in response. I had never been more ready in my life. I watched as Heero lubricated his own erection before moving himself back over me. Heero made this entirely erotic sound that heightened my arousal even more. He began to move inside me, hitting my prostate and causing a jarring flash of pleasure, altering my perspective of the world to myself, Heero, and nothing else.  
  
The small details became more apparent all of a sudden. The feel of the cool sheets clenched in my hands; Heero's ragged breathing and wordless whisperings in my ear. It dawned on me that even though Heero and I have had sexual encounter before that this was the first time we made love. It scared me on some level, the eternal bond that came with the motions, but it was a good kind of scary. A risk worth taking and fighting for. This was my second shot on life; I wasn't going to blow it.   
  
// And tonight I feel, feel like more.  
Tonight I feel like, I feel like more tonight. //  
  
I owed Relena and Hilde at least that much.  
  
"Heero..." I breathed as he hit my prostate once more, bringing his hand back to stroke my erection, bringing me to completion as I came, calling his name like a mantra over and over again. Heero came soon after, thrusting one final time as I felt his seed filling my insides. I titled my head up, pressing my lips against his forehead; his skin was salty with sweat.  
  
"Thank you," I murmured, kissing him gently on the mouth. I knew right then that I'll always treasure the memory of the two of us lying in bed after we first made love, the sun setting outside and painting the room with its different hues. It wasn't long before we both fell asleep holding each other close.  
  
// I feel like, like more.  
I feel like more tonight. //  
  
*~**~*  
  
End Part 1 


	2. Part 2

+Title: Duplicity - Part 2  
+Author: Vinyl Koneko (Emily), roguegirl@att.net  
+Rating: R  
+Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 13x11, 6x9  
+Warnings: AU, yaoi, cyberpunk, citrus-y goodness  
+Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing at all. If you do own it, please don't sue because I'm not even in college yet and already I'm poor.  
+Notes: *Emphasis*, [flashback], // lyrics //. This fic is the sequel to my story "Digital Bath", so definitely read that before jumping into this one.  
  
*~**~*  
  
I awoke slowly, soon becoming very aware that I wasn't alone. A soft smile came to my face as I watched Heero sleep. He looked almost childlike. I reached forward, tentatively brushing his hair out of his eyes. I was almost more afraid that I would be the one waking up from a dream, not him, but I knew what had occurred before was all too real.  
  
My stomach grumbled and I couldn't help but laugh out loud, accidentally waking Heero. "What's so funny?" he mumbled sleepily, slowly blinking his eyes until they adjusted to the light.  
  
"I'm hungry," I replied, my response being emphasized by another growl from my stomach. This made me laugh even harder.  
  
Heero smiled softly. "You're human now; it's expected." He smothered a yawn before continuing. "I'll go get us breakfast."  
  
I frowned. "Why can't I come with you?"  
  
"Aa... No one outside of me, you, Relena, and Hilde know that you're alive. I don't know how the doctors are going to react yet."  
  
"Oh." I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. Funny, I don't remember it coming undone... "But they'll find out sooner or later. Why not sooner rather than later?"  
  
Heero was pulling on his clothes as he mulled over my question. "You can come if you want. I'm warning you, though, they might not be happy."  
  
I snorted. "Why should I care if they're happy? I'm not in love with them. And if anything they'll be happier that the broken printer has been repaired."  
  
"Just don't get your hopes up."  
  
I nodded, pulling myself out of the warm cocoon of blankets to get dressed. Even if we were about the face the wrath of the doctors, we were going to face it together.  
  
*~**~*  
  
I'm ashamed to admit that I was feeling a little self-conscious, gripping onto Heero's hand as he led me to our building's dining hall. It felt pretty out-of-character and was most likely derived from the fact that I might not be needed or wanted anymore. I held to Heero's hand tighter, unaware that I had until he squeezed my hand back. He could tell I was feeling apprehensive.  
  
It didn't help that the instant we stepped into the dining hall, and eyes went to Heero and then instantly to me. It was completely silent. Me, being the big mouth that I tend to be at times, felt that it was my duty to say something. I put on the broadest smile I could manage. "Hey, everyone. What's up?"  
  
The uproar started almost instantly, a million questions being tossed in the air at the same time. Most of them were the same though. "How?" I could see Relena and Hilde sitting towards the back of the dining hall, the other people sitting with them oblivious to their smug grins. They were starting to crowd around me and I couldn't help but wonder if maybe I should have stayed back in Heero's room. I couldn't distinguish one voice from the next.  
  
"What is going on in here?" came a rough voice from the doorway. I couldn't see over the group, but I knew the voice anywhere. It was Professor G. The crowd parted a little and I could see G's eyes widen. "Duo!?" I bit my lip, not knowing what to expect. G was pretty much the one who took care of me from the beginning. I don't know if he saw me as the son he never had or the son he never wanted. "It's good to see you...alive." G glanced over at Heero who responded with a challenging glare. "Who else was involved?"  
  
"Just me," Heero replied, putting the blame on himself instead of letting it fall on the girls.   
  
"The two of you should come with me, then."   
  
I knew he was talking us to the lab the second the doors to the dining hall closed behind us. I couldn't read G's expression and it was bothering me. I wish Quatre were here to give us at least an idea on what G was feeling.  
  
I was surprised to note that none of the other doctors were around. It seemed to be just the three of us. G pulled out a particularly nasty looking needle and motioned for me to sit down. I sat without questioning, hissing in pain as he stabbed my left shoulder and drew out a sample of blood.  
  
"There's just a few things I'd like to test." G drew out a drop of blood from the sample, placing it under a computerized microscope and seemed shocked by what he saw. I couldn't figure out why he was so surprised; my blood looked normal. "There doesn't seem to have been any side effects to the printing."  
  
"How did you know he was printed?" Heero asked, causing G to scoff.  
  
"Come now, boy, how stupid do you think I am? The broken printer was missing and a sample of stem cells were taken from the lab. It didn't take much for me to figure out what was going on, but I didn't think it would work. And I know Relena and Hilde's involvement, but since you're willing to take responsibility, the consequences will only fall on you." I watched G wheel up the device that measure brainwaves, going a little cross-eyed as he stuck a probe on my forehead. "Duo, what's 16^8 divided by 3?"  
  
"1,431,655,765 and one-third," I responded effortlessly, not realizing that something was out of the ordinary until I caught the strange look Heero was sending in my direction.  
  
"How about 27^8 divided by 5 minus 16^8 divided by 2?"  
  
"26,095,470,000 and one-tenth."  
  
"What's the difference between the two solutions?"  
  
"Approximately 24,663,814,234 and four-fifths, but that isn't taking into account the endless 3s in one-third. Why?"  
  
"Duo..." That expression was still on Heero's face. I think it was disbelief with a mix of wonder, but I wasn't paying that much attention. I was trying to figure out what G was trying to prove. "What was the first thing you ever said to me?"  
  
That took me a bit longer to remember. " 'Heero Yuy, I've been waiting so long to meet you.' "  
  
"Can you remember the entirety of that conversation?"  
  
"Just the words or do you want actions too?"  
  
"Words only," G answered quickly.  
  
I took in a deep breath before recalling the words that had passed between us several weeks ago. " 'Heero Yuy, I've been waiting so long to meet you.' 'What do you want?' 'Do you want to learn the truth about the system?' 'I already know. Man overused Earth and her resources, so the LSOS was created, keeping people in suits hooked to computers in order to live their whole lives in a computerized world.' 'Yes, but don't you want to *see* it?' 'How?' 'Simple. Let me free you has I have freed others.' 'You mean let you kill me and laugh about my gullibility.' 'You and your people have it all wrong. Only to the system are you truly dead, but you may return anytime you wish. The operators in the real world want to start bringing people back to Earth; they think she's healed enough to try again. So they sent me to start bringing people home.' 'I don't believe you.' ... Do you really want me to keep going?"  
  
"No that's enough." G turned off the machine, alternately pulling the probes off my head and scratching something down on a notepad. "It seems that my theory has proven itself to be true."  
  
"What theory?"  
  
"Duo, you're human in spirit and in body, but you still have the mental processes of a computer only now your storage capacity is unlimited. You can recall facts, numbers, entire conversations effortlessly."  
  
I was unsure. "Is this good news or bad?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry, it's very good news. This talent of yours will be very useful to use. I feared that we wouldn't have anything to do with you now that you're human, but it appears that isn't the case at all."  
  
*~**~*  
  
End Part 2 


	3. Part 3

+Title: Duplicity - Part 3  
+Author: Vinyl Koneko (Emily), roguegirl@att.net  
+Rating: R  
+Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 13x11, 6x9  
+Warnings: AU, yaoi, cyberpunk, citrus-y goodness  
+Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing at all. If you do own it, please don't sue because I'm not even in college yet and already I'm poor.  
+Notes: *Emphasis*, [flashback], // lyrics //. This fic is the sequel to my story "Digital Bath", so definitely read that before jumping into this one.  
  
*~**~*  
  
G had told me to try and keep my mental abilities a secret. I didn't know how I felt about it. I always had been programmed to be able to grasp emotions, but being able to process information so quickly set me apart from my friends. The only real difference between the version of me now was that I was alive, not just a simulation of life. Now I was able to be with Heero for the rest of our lives.  
  
If I had never met Heero, I probably would have preferred being dead. I didn't have much to stick around for, and sometimes being a program you don't feel like you can connect with others. Only Dorothy could understand, and she ended up behaving against her coding. It made me wonder that if on some level I was waiting to snap and kill countless numbers of people. I shivered at the thought. In the system I had called myself the God of Death. I hope it was just a coincidence.  
  
Class seemed like more of a chore than it had been before, only now I couldn't act like I knew the answers. I began to regret reading all those books because I retained every ounce of it. I couldn't tell if my thoughts were original or if they had been regurgitated from somewhere else.  
  
Heero waited for me afterwards, but I told him to go on without me. I needed to talk to Quatre. He seemed to be the only one who could help.  
  
"You feel perfectly normal, Duo," he sighed after I suggested he look for anything that seemed abnormal. "Some are seeing it as a miracle that this is possible at all." The corners of Quatre's mouth quirk up into a smile that reached his eyes. "I'm so happy you're all right. Heero was devastated; he's never cared for anyone this much before."  
  
"Have you known Heero long?"  
  
He shook his head. "I only met Heero a little after I started seeing Trowa. I'm just telling you what I sensed. It's nice to see him this contented, though. Heero was always a little to intense for his own good."  
  
I hadn't known that much about Heero's life before he met me, and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't eager to find out more. "Does he have family that's been retrieved?"  
  
"No," Quatre said sadly. "Heero always seemed to be alone if he wasn't with myself, Trowa, or Wufei. I don't know much about his family. I think they didn't get along very well and he left, but I could be wrong."  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"I haven't sought out my family on Earth, yet. They won't be hard to miss soon enough. Trowa's found his, including Catherine, and they thought she ran away a long time ago. Trowa and Treize are actually cousins."  
  
"Wow. Wonder why I didn't know that already."  
  
Quatre shrugged. "Treize and Catherine look more related than Trowa. Families can be weird like that sometimes."  
  
"Wish I knew," I murmured. I felt like I was missing out on the concept of family. Closest I really had were the doctors and Dorothy.  
  
"You can share some of my family." When Quatre's happy you can't help but feel happy yourself. I couldn't help but smile as he laughed. "With twenty-nine sisters, I have plenty to go around."  
  
"Thanks, Quat. It means a lot to me."  
  
"No problem. Well, I better get going." I nodded. I knew that Trowa was waiting for Quatre. "I'll see you later." I waved, watching as he ran up the steps to the apartment complex before turning and walking away, no particular destination in mind. "Oh, and Duo?" I turned my head in mid-stride to see what else he had to say. Quatre pointing his index fingers at his cheeks, pushing them up into a grin. "Cheer up!"  
  
I shook my head, chuckling at my friend and silently in awe over how many people really did care about me.  
  
*~**~*  
  
I hadn't expected to see a tall, older man waiting outside my door when I returned to my room. "Excuse me, sir? Are you lost?"  
  
"Are you Duo Maxwell?" his voice didn't match his age, sounding younger than it should.  
  
"Yes... And you are?"  
  
"My name is Dekim Barton. I've been meaning to speak to you, but you've been pretty hard to find."  
  
"Sorry, I've been bus-"  
  
"You don't need to apologize. I understand that you'd be short of time. It's not everyday a computer program becomes the real deal, after all." I don't know why, but I didn't like his tone. "It'll only take a few minutes, if you don't mind."  
  
I agreed wordlessly, motioning for him to sit down. "Are you related to Trowa?"  
  
"I'm his grandfather, yes. Treize's, too. Treize was such a bright boy I thought he was ruining his chance at becoming something great when he decided he wanted to teach, but it looks like I was wrong since now he's running the show."  
  
The older man's attitude caused me to bristle somewhat. "Your grandson is a damn good teacher; it wouldn't matter if it made him 'great' or not. I don't know why you're here, but I'd appreciate it if you just got down to business."  
  
Dekim smiled, but it was more like a sneer, his thin lips set in a firm line. "Very well. I have sources, Duo, that tell me you'd be quite the investment for my little group to make."  
  
"What are you talking about?" I tried to keep my voice steady. I was afraid of what this man could know about me, especially if the doctors had meant for it to be kept a secret.  
  
"You know very well what I'm talking about, Duo. You would be the perfect agent for my cause; especially with all that information stored in that head of yours. You're going to be forced to pick sides sooner or later. Why don't you pick the victor?"  
  
"Pick sides for what?"  
  
"A war, Duo; a war between those who want to stay on Earth and those who would rather go back to the LSOS. Which do you feel will win? Think about it. The Earth has disease, pain, murder... In the system we were free of all those horrors. We were almost immortal. People will learn soon enough that they'd rather have their old lives back than their new ones. Those opposing us will either give in or be destroyed."  
  
"But where would I come in?"  
  
"You would be so perfect, Duo; you have the ability to remember and recall everything that goes on around you. So many people trust you, including the doctors. We could make you a great assassin."  
  
An image of Dorothy as she cut Heero's arm with the sword flashed through my mind. I felt horrified. I couldn't accept that this man would see me capable of being that cold-hearted. Did he just see me as a machine? "You corrupted Dorothy," I whispered, wishing I wasn't by myself with Dekim. "I'm sorry Mr. Barton but the LSOS was only temporary and what you're hoping for is impossible. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to leave," my eyes narrowed, voice hardening, "now."  
  
The other's demeanor changed just as quickly as mine had. "This won't be the last you'll hear of me, Duo, and keep in mind that there's nothing you can do about my faction because we haven't done anything illegal." He left, slamming the door behind him in a way that seemed so childish that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. His threats meant nothing to me because I knew he could never sway me to his side. Recreating the LSOS meant a certain doom for humanity, and in thousands of years we would be compared by the new dominating race to the dinosaurs.  
  
It was my job to make sure that would never happen.  
  
*~**~*  
  
End Part 3  
  
A/N: A piece of the Barton family tree for the sake of the story.  
  
Dekim Barton + Marie D'Bleure  
------Thomas Barton + Ellie Ringler  
------------Luke Barton  
------------Matthew Barton + Samantha Thompson  
------------------Leia Barton  
------Elizabeth Barton + Jonathon Khushrenada  
------------Treize Khushrenada + Ann Une  
------------------Mariemaia Khushrenada  
------Oliver Barton + Julia Bloom  
------------Catherine Bloom  
------------Trowa Barton  
  
Confused? Dekim and Marie had Thomas, Elizabeth, and Oliver. Thomas (and Ellie) had Luke and Matthew. Matthew (and Samantha) had Leia. Elizabeth (and Jonathon) had Treize. Treize (and Une) had Mariemaia. Oliver (and Julia) had Catherine and Trowa. 


	4. Part 4

+Title: Duplicity - Part 4  
+Author: Vinyl Koneko (Emily), roguegirl@att.net  
+Rating: R  
+Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 13x11, 6x9  
+Warnings: AU, yaoi, cyberpunk, citrus-y goodness  
+Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing at all. If you do own it, please don't sue because I'm not even in college yet and already I'm poor.  
+Notes: *Emphasis*, [flashback], // lyrics //. This fic is the sequel to my story "Digital Bath", so definitely read that before jumping into this one.  
  
*~**~*  
  
Maybe if I actually had felt threatened would I have taken measures to prevent anything that could have happened, but it didn't seem possible that Dekim's people could have access to anything important to help their cause. Only the doctors and the Specialists had access to the printers and the only real weapons left on Earth were in limited supply locked away in the museum.  
  
Just to be certain, though, I talked to Trowa the next day.  
  
"Hey, Tro, does your family have a history of mental illness or anything?" I was trying to be as tactful as possible. It was better than coming out and asking if he knew of and plotting to take over the world his grandfather had done.  
  
"Not that I know of," he gave me a funny look, which is a lot for Trowa. "Why?"  
  
I shrugged. "No reason. I just saw your grandfather the other day and he was asking me some really weird shit." Half a truth is different from a lie, ladies and gentlemen. Autographs after the show. "It's probably just senile old man talk. I know how the docs get." Pretending you know nothing when you really know lots of things is really hard when you can run off at the mouth the way I can. "You and Quatre have fun last night?"  
  
He nodded, not acting like he was going to indulge in any more information. I think it has something to do with the fact that I can talk so much that to the quieter types I'm a bit overwhelming. How Heero manages to put up with my mouth I have no idea.  
  
If Trowa didn't know enough to be helpful, I knew someone else who could probably give me a lot more.  
  
*~**~*  
  
Treize's office was on the top floor of what used to be the server building. The whole purpose behind that was because it was the tallest building and he could see the whole city from his vantage point. It definitely had one hell of a view.  
  
I pushed through the heavy oak doors, waving at the receptionist as I strode by. Treize was sitting at his desk up to his neck in paperwork, but it seemed like he enjoyed it. This was a man that wanted to grade papers for the rest of his life. I sat myself down, not bothering to wait for an invitation. I'd always been pretty comfortable around Treize. His demeanor demands respect and attention but he was also a good person. At least he was always nice to me.  
  
"Treize can I ask you about your grandfather?"  
  
He paused for a moment, seeming to hesitate between denial and acceptance. "What do you want to know?"  
  
"How come he doesn't like Earth and wants everyone back in the LSOS?"  
  
Treize crossed his arms over the desk, leaning forward on his forearms. "He doesn't realize that it was only temporary. He just knows that he would have died before the system. Dekim he feels as if he is unaffected by the indeterminable." His eyes narrowed in on me slightly. "Why do you ask?"  
  
I shifted in my seat, wondering if I should be telling Treize or not but realizing it would do more good than harm. "He wanted me to go work for him. He said I could be the perfect agent or assassin. I didn't want to reverse what I had worked so hard for, so of course I turned him down. He just said that it wouldn't be the last I've heard of him and left."  
  
"I'd be very careful if I were you, Duo. There's no doubt in my mind that he just needs the motive to find a way. There are other ways he could try to persuade you, especially by hurting the people around you."  
  
"I just need to know, Treize, which side you're on: humanity's or your grandfather's."  
  
Treize closed his eyes, fingers steeped together as he leaned back in his chair. "I will fight against Dekim for mankind if it comes down to that. You have my word." He opened his eyes again, gaze focused solely on mine. "I promised this world to my daughter, not the system."  
  
I nodded, feeling much better all of a sudden. "Thank you."  
  
"Anytime, Duo. You are welcome here."  
  
*~**~*  
  
"Duo! Where have you been?"  
  
Why Heero sounded like he was upset with me, I had no idea. "I was talking to Trowa and then I went to speak with Treize. Why?"  
  
"Were you anywhere near Fourth and Main?"  
  
Fourth and Main? I had to think about it. That was the intersection where they're building the civic center. People can't just walk by with all the construction going on. There's a detour just to walk down the street. "No, I wasn't anywhere near there. Why?" The door opened and shut quickly. Wufei had entered and he was holding a disk. "What's going on?"  
  
"I got it," Wufei said quickly, "but it better not be my ass if anyone finds out."  
  
"It won't be," Heero practically snapped back, pushing the disk inside its proper drive in his laptop. A media player popped up almost immediately, a still of a video file showing the construction site with none of the printers or overseers anywhere in sight. Heero tentatively grabbed the mouse, moving the cursor so it hovered over the play button before clicking. The video file started to play, and I couldn't believe my eyes.  
  
The resolution of the recorder wasn't that great, but it was enough to tell what was going on. A figure dressed completely in black was going around, placing objects in the major supports of the framework. I recognized that they were bombs almost immediately; I played out the scenario quickly in my head. Those explosions triggered at the same time, judging from the size of the bombs, would be enough to level the building and force the construction team to start over from the beginning.  
  
The figure was slowly getting closer to the camera, allowing more details to be visible with each bomb that was placed. The person was male from what I could tell, height and built seeming to match mine exactly. He spun around, waving jauntily at the camera before going back to work. I paused, rewinding the file in slow motion and pausing it again when I found what I was looking for. I knew it was impossible, but that was the only identifying mark I needed: a chestnut braid a little over a meter long.  
  
"He-Heero? What the hell...?"  
  
"Maxwell, what were you doing?" I winced at the barely concealed disgust in Wufei's voice. Heero's eyes were glued to the monitor.  
  
"I... That wasn't me, I swear! C'mon, you guys, you have to believe me. What time was this recorded at? I can't tell you exactly where I was, and there will be others who can back it up."  
  
"Approximately four hours ago," Heero's tone was flat. There was no way he could believe that I would do that, was there? I suddenly recalled what Dekim said about that not being the last he'd hear of me, and Treize warning me to be careful. It had to be a hoax. That just wasn't me. I would have remembered doing something like that.  
  
"Four hours ago... We were in school watching that ass boring documentary on irrigation."  
  
"You went to the bathroom," Heero supplied, "and didn't hurry back."  
  
"Plenty of time to go down the street to the site, plant a couple explosives on the major supports, and be back before anyone complained." That's when I noticed Wufei had moved to stand between me and the door. I locked gazes with my lover. Heero's eyes were pleading, but what he wanted me to admit to - guilt or innocence - I couldn't tell.  
  
"Did the bombs go off?" I asked, my mouth extremely dry.  
  
"No," Heero offered. "They were found and deactivated once the team returned from their lunch break. No one was injured."  
  
"It's just a coincidence. That wasn't me. I didn't really go to the bathroom; I went to the library instead. I read chapter nine in part three from Anthony Burgess's 'The Wanting Seed'. It's about a failing society... I can quote back exactly what I read. 'Tristram's new cell-mate was a massive Nigerian called Charlie Linklater. He was a friendly talkative man, with a mouth so large that it was a wonder he was able to attain any precision in his enunciation of the English vowel-sounds.' Zechs recommended it to me a while back. It's pretty funny in a depressing way." I was feeling frantic and I knew I was babbling, but there was no way they could believe I did this. I was going to give Heero the "if you love me" ultimatum, but I knew that wouldn't have been fair. "It wasn't me," I whispered.  
  
"Duo," Heero crossed the space between us, cupping my face in his hand and pulling my gaze away from the carpeting and to his own. "I believe you, but that doesn't believe that everybody else will. It might just be a coincidence, but if someone is trying to frame you, make sure you're with someone who can account for your presence from now on, okay?" I graciously accepted the chaste kiss he planted on my forehead. "You need to be careful, love."  
  
"I will be," I promised, mentally searching out a plan that would end the campaign of Dekim Barton. "I just got second shot at life; I'm not going to let some jerk-off try to control me."  
  
*~**~*  
  
End Part 4 


	5. Part 5

Title: Duplicity - Part 5  
Author: Emily  
Rating: R  
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 13x11, 6x9  
Warnings: AU, yaoi, cyberpunk, citrus-y goodness  
Notes: This fic is the sequel to my story "Digital Bath", so definitely read that before jumping into this one.

oOo

I had no direct proof that it was Dekim Barton who was trying to frame me, but I did have my word and Treize's. It still wasn't enough, unfortunately, if the new leader of Earth and a program-turned-human with a photographic memory were able to speak out against the old man. I did as Heero suggested and didn't go anywhere by myself.

In the old days it would have been so much easier for me to undermine Dekim. I just got zapped into the server and could travel through wires to anything with a computer chip. It was easy for me to talk to the machines, get what I needed out of them, but in my human form, I was starting to get aggravated. The others helped as much as they could, but it still wasn't enough. I needed Dorothy's help, but unless I found the doctor's hard copy of her program and sorted out the errors, there was no way I could bring her back.

"Come on, G, this bozo is trying to make me look like the bad guy, here, and there's nothing you can do about it?"

"Duo the server was dismantled, and that was the only server large enough to hold a program as complex as yours."

I exhaled loudly, the moving air brushing my hair away from my eyes. "What if it was a dumbed-down version of the program? Just one with the basic controls to move around and perform the necessary functions. I mean, the details don't need to be that elaborate. It doesn't even need to look like anything!"

"Without a central network tracking down the proper lines will take a lot of time and effort." G was tinkering around with something and didn't seem to want me to get a good look at it. He kept turning his back every time I moved to face him. "If it becomes more serious, maybe then it will seem necessary to use the manpower, but until that happens, you're just looking for a problem."

I was astonished. I thought Professor G, of all people, would help me. "Dekim Barton is trying to make it look like that I want to destroy the progress we're making, and you don't think it's a serious problem?"

He leveled his gaze at mine without even blinking. "In all fairness, Duo, we weren't even the ones who saved you. You're in Heero's hands, now, not ours."

oOo

Heero was waiting for me in the lobby when I exited G's lab. He stood from his spot on a couch and placed his hand on my shoulder, detecting my foul mood. "It didn't go well?"

"The bastard thinks I'm a pet or a toy. He could at least humor me instead of out right telling me that it isn't his problem."

"It will be, at any rate."

I growled in frustration. The allies I thought I had were slowly turning against me. "They'll blame you," I realized, mentally going over what G had last said to me. "They see me as your responsibility; any trouble that it looks like I get into will be placed on you, even though they know otherwise." I had to force the disgust out of my voice. "They still don't believe I'm human."

"Their ignorance isn't your fault."

I looked out the glass doors, the familiar figure in black waving at me a few meters off from outside. "Heero..."

"I see him," he replied, eyes narrowing. "He's taunting us."

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm just not going to stand around and let him get away." I burst through the double doors, pushing aside people as they walked down the street. The figure saw me coming for him and began to run, as well. I had to pick up the pace in order to even hope of catching up. Something wasn't right; even as a human I was still fast and agile, abnormally so compared to most, but this guy was faster. There was only one way that this could have happened. How else would Dekim Barton be able to get someone who resembled me that perfectly and could move so quickly?

The realization stopped me in my tracks, Heero catching up seconds afterwards. "Duo, what happened?"

"I just figured it out," I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "My program...after you caught me with the computer I was transferred by air to the system. I was caught by the repaired printer en route to the system and you printed me. Heero, Dekim got a copy of my program."

He seemed stunned. "But how? You still went to the printer."

I ran through the scenario in my head over and over again. "I can think of two ways. He caught my program, duplicated it, and then sent me to the printer, or..." I swallowed hard. "The printer has a twenty-print memory. It can store up to the last twenty programs it printed. If Dekim just got his hands on that printer, nothing would stop him from having a copy of my program. The problem with that is he would need a large enough server."

"Unless he simplified the program just enough so it can perform the necessary functions," Heero added, eyes wide with the revelation. "What's keeping him from making an entire army at his command?"

_"You would be so perfect, Duo; you have the ability to remember and recall everything that goes on around you. So many people trust you, including the doctors. We could make you a great assassin."_

"Nothing," I answered, feeling all color drain from my face. "And with me being human, I can't even jump into the circuitry for a little while to track down and infect the server he's using." I rubbed at my shoulder absent-mindedly but stopped when I caught Heero eyeing me warily.

"Who can help us besides the doctors?"

I had to think for a moment. What we needed was a way to still be able to go through the system without creating another program. The thought of Dekim having my own program made me uneasy enough, especially if he got it from the printer. What would keep him from printing more of me that was flesh and blood? "Have you met Howard yet?" Heero shook his head in response. "Well, you're about to because it looks like he's the man we need."

oOo

Howard's shop was underground because of all the computers he managed to pawn off the doctors. Computers tended to make a lot of heat, so being underground was an added bonus because the darkness made it cooler than, say, Treize's office. Howard's job (I had explained all this to Heero on our walk over) had been to program Solo, Dorothy, and then I - his use to the doctors wore out when I was created successfully.

He also invented what he likes to call The Master, which is essentially a printer with massive amounts of backup memory and antennas reaching out all over the city so he can save what people has been printed, if he finds it interesting. I knew he had my program, and I also knew he deleted it because my program was perfect the first time and there was no need to make another me.

Obviously, though, Dekim Barton had gotten hold of that copy somehow, and that's why I needed Howard. The Master would have picked up each and every duplicate of my program that was being printed along with specific times, dates, and IP addresses. I knocked on the door loudly because the servers always tended to be loud. I have no idea why the old man couldn't have just installed a bell like the rest of the world.

When Howard opened the door, he was wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt and a pair of goggles over his eyes, which meant he was currently working on some serious maintenance. "Duo!" he greeted, ever so happy to see me. "How've you been?"

I avoided the question, not really sure of the best way to answer. Instead I opted to introduce him to Heero. They shook hands politely, and I caught the wink Howard gave me through the goggles. I swear, the old guy can be such a perv. As much as I would have loved to stick around and chat, though, there was business that needed to be attended to.

I explained the situation with Dekim Barton, and the run in with my look-alike just minutes before. "I need to check the servers to see if I can get an IP address."

Howard's mouth twisted as he thought. "I don't know how that'll help. You won't be able to hack into the system from here. Not anymore, at least."

"C'mon, Howard, I'll figure the rest of this out as I go along. Right now I just need to know how many of me have been printed and where the hub is. The docs might take me seriously once they get some numbers."

I noticed Heero was giving Howard an expression that seemed to be challenging the man to say no, warning him of what would happen in this grave of a situation. Howard's shoulders slumped as he let out a sigh, shutting the door behind us as we walked down the wooden stairs to his main server room.

Compared to the server tower, this room was no where near as impressive, but it was still a lot for an individual to have. I hopped behind a terminal, sliding into the seat so the back of is was in front of my chest instead of behind me. I began typing frantically, memory recalling the exact code that my program was saved under.

A listing popped up of how many times I had been printed, but none contained a link to the file because Howard had put a block to keep me out of his system. Times and the same IP address stretched down the screen, and I felt myself grow pale when I noticed that there were twenty-five coded Duos printed daily.

"What the hell is going on?" Howard murmured, voice full of disbelief.

Heero shook his head. "Dekim Barton wants to start a war with an invincible army that happens to look like my lover."

I laughed dryly, "Yeah, only faster...and immortal as long as their server is intact." I let out a deep sigh. "We need to destroy that server before all hell breaks loose and we risk losing Earth again."

oOo

End Part 5


End file.
